Improvement in car-couplings



Nrrnn STATES ALFRED WILLSON, OF BELL EWART, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF PART INTERA EST TO E. M. LAW AND I. E. DRAKE, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming pari of Letters Patent No. 146,1 511, dated January 6,1874; application filed January 16, 1873.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED WILLsoN, of the village of Bell 4Ewart, in the county of Simcoe, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain Improvements in Gar- Couplers, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to certain improvements in self -acting car-couplers, by which they can be made more cheaply, and work with greater efficiency, the buffers and draw-bars working independently and conjointly, operating together in such a manner that the greater the draft on the said draw-bars, the harder the corresponding buffers press against each other, thereby making the whole train one continuous piece, and preventing that lateral and swinging motion, so disastrous to both the rails and wheels, and so extremely disagreeable to the passengers. e t t Figure l is an end elevation of platform, showing my coupling attached. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of same. Fig. 3 is a plan view.

Like letters indicate like parts in all the iigures.

A is the back casting or shoe, which, bolted to the bottom of the car, supports the back end ofbuifer and draw-bar, and oontainsthe springs for actuating the saine, as hereafter described. B is the buffer, which can either be made single or in the shape of a fork, and forming a `double buffer, as shown in the drawing. G is the draw-bar, which is made in 4two parts, connected together by a knuckle-joint, D. E is the front casting or plate, bolted, like A, to bottom of car. F andGr are the buffer and draw-bar springs. They are spiral, and fit intorecesses made to" receive them in the casting A, and back end G1 of the draw-bar passes between them, as shown; and they are hold in position by the cotter H, which passes through an oblong holevin the casting A, and through the back end G1 of the drawbar, as will be clearly understood by reference to Fig. 2. The web I, on C1, fits through a slot in the casting A, and presses against the spiral spring G. The buffer B enters the castingA, and fits against a washer, which has been previously placed into therecess made for the spiral F.

It will thus be seen that the buffer B may be made to recede without affecting the draw-bar C; but it is again forced forward when the draft is upon the said draw-bar.

I have mentioned before that the draw-bar is divided into two parts, whichI have marked, respectively, C and C1. They are connected together by a knnoklejoint, D. This kind of joint permits the draw-bar (l to have the lateral motion necessary in order to couple and uncouple, as hereafter described, while at the same time it enables the back end Cl of the draw-bar to remain perfectly straight, notwithstanding the motion aforesaid of its front half. J is a rod, fitting across and into the fork of the buffer B, as shown. This rod passes through an oblong hole or slot, C3, in a projection, C4, formed on the upper side of the draw-bar C, as may be seen by reference to Fig. 2. This rod, besides serving as asupport for the draw-bar, has upon it two springs, E, one on either side of that portion of the draw-bar through which the said rod J passes. These springs keep the bar C always straight; thus, when the noses of the bars about to couple come together, their shape is such (see drawings) that the bars are sprung apart, pass the highest point, and clasp the springs E, connected to each bar, as described, following themboth toward the center, and, consequently, together.

I do not claim the hooked-shaped draw-bar,

as the saine is well known; therefore it is not necessary for me `to show the manner in which the draw-bars hook together, nor to describe the manner in. which the cars couple together. It is sufficient to say that, when coupling, the buffers B come together before the noses of the coupling-bars C pass, as described, the spring F, behind the said buffers B being compressed till the bars C clasp. Thus, even when the cars are standing still, their respective buffers press tightly together; but when the cars are in inotion, and the draft is upon the draw-bar G, the buffers are drawn still tighter together, the connection between the draw-bar C and buffer B being such as before described. Thus the connection between the two cars is made more rigid as the draft on the draw-bars.. C is increased. This peculiarity I consider of the greatest importance.

My whole invention consists in constructing a car-coupler which will not only be self-acting, but Whieh will couple the cars firmly tothe ears couple, but conjointly as the pulling' gether, their rigidity being increased in proportion to the draft on the draw-bars, thus binding the train closely together, and preventing, in a great measure, lateral motion, which is, as before stated,'so disastrous both to the roadway and Wheels.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination of the buffer B, casting A, draw-bar C D C1 I, cotter H, and springs F and G,re1ative1y arranged so that the drawbar and buffer will operate independently as strain is exerted upon the draw-bar, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination of the draw-bar having the slotted projection C4 with the bumper B and centering devices J, substantially as set forth, for the purposes specified. Toronto, 8th January, 1873.

ALFRED VILLSON. Vitnesses J. HERBERT BARTLETT, DONALD C. RIDoUT. 

